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A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue (up to 1700)

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First published 1971 (DOST Vol. IV).
This entry has not been updated since then but may contain minor corrections and revisions.

Nathing, n. and adv. Also: na-thyng(e, nai-, naything, naething, (nething). [North. ME. nathing (Cursor M.) (midl. and south. nothing etc.), early ME. naping, OE. ná þing, nán þing. Cf. Nothing.]At first written chiefly as two words but latterly chiefly as one.

1. noun. Nothing, not anything, etc. Variously const.(1) 1375 Barb. ii. 184.
Ȝe sall her na thing now for me a1400 Leg. S. xxiii. 407.
Godis … That ar mad & ma mak na thing 1385 Red Bk. Grandtully I. 139.
Nathyng thair agayne sayand c1420 Ratis R. 622. c1420 Bute MS. 171 b.
Of onyonys … at the entre nathyng 1531 Bell. Boece II. 413.
As na thing alit him c1552 Lynd. Mon. 2184.
Till Him … That hevin and eirth maid of nathing 1560 Rolland Seven S. 4047.
The grace of God is gottin for na thing 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 30.
Nathing has been done according to the forme of law, nathing in ordour Ib. 56, 122. 1572 Cal. Sc. P. IV. 377.
They will spare nathing … to com be it 15.. Crawford Mun. Invent. II. 60.
That na thing sall gange wrange 1590 Welwod 69.
Oftentimes pirats takis nathing c1590 Fowler II. 85/27.
That the Italiens vnderstood nathing in the acts of weire 1596 Dalr. I. 40/8.
Because nathing is althrouch fortunat and happie a1598 Ferg. Prov. No. 682.
Over meikle of ane thing is good for nathing 1598 Melvill Propine 148.
Thou'll think it nathing to that glore 1600 Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lxxvi.
Think nathing althocht this berare onderstand of it a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 1202, etc.(b) 1596 Dalr. I. 63/27.
Of the fishes, how copious thair thay ar, I neid to say naything(c) 1513 Doug. iv. xi. 106 (Ruddim.).
Se … sche can forȝet nething 1568 Q. Mary in Ellis Orig. Lett. i Ser. II. (1824) 253.
Y sey nething bot trests weil(2) 1375 Barb. i. 319.
For he had na thing to dispend a1400 Leg. S. vii. 687.
Na thinge to ete a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 390.
That successione … has na thing ado now with the deuile 1559–60 Soc. Ant. XI. 520. 1572-5 Diurn. Occurr. 295.
Thaj gott aither littill or nathing adoe 1622-6 Bisset I. 16/5.(3) 1400 Maxwell Mem. I. 140.
Na of na thyng at langis to … Schyr Jon 1407 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 65.
Na thyng that may be saide na done beand in the contrare 1416 Chart. (Reg. H.) No. 247 a.
Na thyng tane of the forsayd annuale in the mene tyme to be acontyt 1581 Acts III. 218/2.
That this present act nor nathing thairin contenit salbe [etc.](4) c1420 Wynt. vii. 2372.
All swth he sayd and na thyng fals 1488 Treas. Acc. I. 85.
A signet and na thing in it a1538 Abell 92 a.
Sum giffis the maisterschip to thare wife sa at thai dar do nathing by hir 1549 Compl. 171/13.
There is nay thing obscure fra hym a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 118/10.
This inferrens … seruis of na thyng to thair intent 1568 Q. Mary Facs. Nat. MSS. III. lviii.
That thai sal find na thing in preiudice of my honour 1614 Breadalbane Lett. 13 Oct.
I will leif na thing vndone a1628 Carmichael Prov. No. 242.
A wretch dois nathing richt but when he deis(5) a1447 Bower Chron . II. 232 n.
Quhen that thai find nathing bot waist 1490 Irland Mir. I. 36/19.
Na thing plesis us bot jt that js acceptable to Him c1490 Porteous Noblenes 177/5.
To dreid nathing bot God 1492 Myll Spect. 288/5. a1500 Seven S. 560.
That he mycht do nathing bot ly a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 374. a1570-86 Dunb. Maitl. F. xc. 12. 1533 Bell. Livy II. 187/32.
Nathing was said in courte … bot in loving of Romane faith 1540 Lynd. Sat. 1558.
Thow did na thing bot luikit by a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 117/18.
For gif the sacrament … var na thing bot oniy breid and vine 1560 Rolland Seven S. Prol. 177. Ib. 8843. 1567 G. Ball. 64. 1573 Davidson Sat. P. xlii. 893. a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. xcvii. 98. 1580 Hay in Cath. Tr. 49/19. a1605 Montg. Ch. & Slae 702 (W). 1590-1 R. Bruce Serm. O. 3 a (Jam.).
And lefte naething in thair nature but darknes 1596 Aberd. Council Lett. I. 66. 1616 Rogers Social Life III. 299.
The said meill malt quhilk taistit of nathing bot of verie watter(b) 1509 Mill Mediæv Plays 138.
He … haid nay thing to say to thame bot gud 1549 Compl. 124/7.
Ther is nay thing on the lauberaris of the grond … bot arrage, carage [etc] — 1585 Thanes of Cawdor 186.
Of this nay thing pait except [etc.](6) 1540 Lynd. Sat. 3538.
Ire, hardines and gluttonie, Is nathing ellis but lyfis fude 1568 Hosack Mary Q. of Scots I. 549.
Hir revesing … wes nathing ellis but a colourit mask(7) 1562-3 Winȝet I. 68/25.
We oppone na thing to ȝou heir except only that apperis till ws manifest errour(8) 1456 Hay I. 244/19.
All the lettres of asseurance … is nathing in comparisoun of his predicioun c1460 Thewis Wysmen 347.
Thai hait na thing mar bitterly Na wysmen 1531 Bell. Boece (M) I. 17.
Gevin to na thing sa mekill as particulare avantage Ib. 230.
Na thing mycht cum sa displesand to him as [etc.] Ib. II. 326. 1533 Boece ix. xv. 326.
To induce gude maneris … na thing was les effectuos than his wordis 1562-3 Winȝet I. 3/6.
To na thing mair lyke than to ane schip in ane dedely storme 1591 Edinb. Test. XXII. 300 b.
Thair is nathing mair … incertane nor the hour [of death](9) c1500-50 Brevis Cronica 328.
For he was … abill to nathing les than the administratioun 1531 Bell. Boece I. 24.
Suspekand na thing les than sic irruptioun of ennimes a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 120/20.
Albeit Christ meanit na . thinge lese bot that he vas to gif [etc.] Id. Compendious Ressonyng (ed.) 182/26. 1590 Strathblane Par. 191. 1592 Crim. Trials. I. ii. 279.(10) 1375 Barb. vi. 152.
For he in na thing thame forbare a1400 Leg. S. i. 255.
Bot gyf that pece be … to fynd veryte In-to na thing may be profyte c1420 Wynt. vi. 1131. 1456 Hay I. 137/25. Ib. II. 167/28.
The quhilk is in nathing to the King of Fraunce behaldin c1460 Alex. (Taym.) 3162.(11) a1400 Leg. S. vi. 8.
I wil thu fare Til Inde & lefit fore na thinge Ib. vii. 335. a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 290 (M).
For na thing that may be(12) a1400 Leg. S. xi. 196.
Thé thar nocht dred na-thing ?1438 Alex. ii. 615.
Luke ȝe take nocht in crabitnes For na thing that my brother sayis c1420 Wynt. v. 4548.
Till thame wald he noucht appere Na nathyng off thare message here ?14.. Ship Laws c. 21 (B).
He is nocht haldyn to len thaim nathyng 1456 Hay I. 175/4. Ib. 141/23.
He mysdois nocht in nathing c1550 Rolland Ct. Venus iv. 154. 1573 Sempill Sat. P. xxxix. 76.
Not laiking na thing that belangit to weir 1643 St. A. Baxter Bks. 113.
That the said positour is not awand nathing to the said craft(13) a1400 Leg. S. xii. 343.
I na-thynge Spek forthire her of his lowynge Ib. xxxiv. 23.
Wantande nathing of bewte That [etc.] c1420 Bute MS. 155.
And he hafe … wythin that terme movit nathyng of it 1512 Selkirk B. Ct. (ed.) 19.
He kennes na thing of the caws bot [etc.] 1533 Bell. Livy II. 198/35. c1550 Lynd. Meldrum 132. a1568 Scott xiii. 39. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 161. 1636 Dumbarton B. Rec. 51.
He could not get the spoone bak nor nathing thairof 1649 Aberd. B. Rec. IV. 100.

2. adv. Not at all, in no way.a. Qualifying a verb. b. Qualifying an adj., adv. or adv. phrase.a. 1375 Barb. iii. 184.
Quhar he his fayis na thing dred a1400 Leg. S. xlix. 33.
Quhen he saw he sped nathing ?1438 Alex. i. 2964, etc. c1420 Wynt. iii. 823.
Hys douchtyr sone … Forbare na thyng for tyll assayle Hys eldfadyr Ib. viii. 5243. c1460 Consail Vys Man 276. a1500 Henr. III. 117/67 (Bann.).
Thus lene man luche na thing a1500 Gol. & Gaw. 117. a1500 Rauf C. 561. c1500-c1512 Dunb. xi. 4.
Lang heir to dwell na thing thow pres 1513 Doug. x. xi. 119.
Nathyng persavand quhou this myrth … Away quyte with the wynd bewavit is c1540 Lynd. Kitteis Conf. 49.
He pat me na thing in to feir c1552 Id. Mon. (L) 1884, 3941. 1562-3 Winȝet I. 25/20. 1567 Reg. Privy C. I. 573.
The proffeitt quhilk na thing belangit to thame a1570-86 Maitland Maitl. F. cxii. 49. 1572 Buch. Detect. (1727) 82. 1578 Reg. Privy C. III. 35.
Regairding na thing the ordinar forme of justice 1578–9 Ib. 84. c1590 Fowler II. 41/31, Ib. 51/18. 1599 Rollock Wks. I. 406.
Bot ane man having ane gude conscience … is na thing blotted be the speiking of the warld c1600 Montg. Suppl. xxxiii. 84.
Thair wickitt lawes … To thame attend na thing at allb. 1405 Slater Early Sc. Texts No. 59.
In my defaute & nathing in ȝhouris c1420 Wynt. v. 4970.
Off this the kyng was nathyng [C. nathynge] fayne 1460 Hay I. 268/34. Alex. (Taym.) 740.
It is nathing lyke a1500 Henr. Test. Cress. 257.
Of colour nathing cleir a1500 Prestis of Peblis 542.
The falt is ȝowris, … and nathing myne a1508 Kennedy Flyt. 477.
Be na thing arche 1513 Doug. ix. x. 140. Ib. xiii. Prol. 102. 1531 Bell. Boece II. 137.
The reid lille na thing different fra the lille of France bot in cullour Id. Livy I. 223/20. a1561 Q. Kennedy Breif Tract. (ed.) 135/16.
Sua that the beleif of the sammyne is litle or na thynge to the glore of God Ib. 127/9. 1567 G. Ball. 12. a1585 Maitl. Q. lxxxiii. 15.
Thow said thow loved me nathing les c1590 Fowler II. 60/36.
And nathing pertinent to the purpose 1596 Dalr. I. 165/25.
Nathing abaket